We finally made it to Naza (following a brief stay in Cusco to get our vehicle repaired yet again). I must admit I didn't really know what to expect from Nazca - I had heard about the Nazca lines but that is as far as my general knowledge went.

But there was so much to see in Nazca that we hardly scratched the surface in our three night stay.

Our visit to Nazca included the infamous Nazca lines, the Palpa geoglyphs, the Cahuachi pyramid and the Chauchilla cemetery complete with mummified remains.

And we had the pleasure of staying at the amazing Wasipunko Ecolodge - a must stay if you are coming to Nazca, especially with children. The kids were especially keen to set up the tent and explore the beauty of Wasipunko - with doves and peacocks as a natural feature in the backyard it has a real magical feel. We could've easily spent longer here if we had the time but alas we had to move on to our next destination.

the nazca lines

"The Nazca Lines are a series of ancient geoglyphs located in the Nazca Desert in Southern Peru. They were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994." - Wikipedia

The best way to view the lines (dating back to 400-650 AD) is from the air but we decided just to drive out to the viewing towers to have a look for ourselves. While we could only see a couple of lines (the frog and the tree) from the tower, it was worth the drive out to see them.

the cahuachi pyramid

A pyramid, in Nazca? Yes, indeed! I did not even realise there was one there until we arrived so of course we had to go see it. Sitting in the middle of nowhere nestled in amongst the desert is the Cahuachi pyramid, which is believed to be a major ceremonial centre for the Nazca people. You have to see it to believe it! We spent some time with the caretaker afterwards - such a lovely man. He offered us some cold water to help us cool down and in exchange I gave him a peanut butter and jam sandwich. He has been watching over the pyramid site for the last 20 years.

chauchilla cemetery

Discovered in the 1920s, the Chauchilla Cemetery contains prehispanic mummified human remains and various other archeological artifacts. With a young boy curious about death and cemeteries, we had to visit.

the palpa geoglyphs

The Palpa Geoglyphs are not as well known as the Nazca lines, but I personally found them much more fascinating. We decided it was definitely worth climbing the viewing tower and having a closer look.